Benefits of Cord Blood

Benefits of Cord Blood

Nearly 80 life-threatening diseases — from cancers to blood diseases to immune disorders — can be treated today using cord blood stem cells². The proven effectiveness of these amazing cells has made cord blood the fastest growing source of stem cells in pediatric transplants³, and thanks to advancements in research its treatment potential continues to expand.

Looking ahead. Exploring new uses for cord blood.

Researchers around the globe are exploring new uses for cord blood. A search on ‘cord blood’ at ClinicalTrials.gov will provide details on hundreds of studies taking place in an effort to increase therapeutic use of these amazing cells. In fact, children of ViaCord families have participated in two major clinical trials for regenerative cord blood stem cell treatments (one for cerebral palsy and another for type 1 diabetes). Both required children to have access to their own cord blood to participate.

Family values. The principles of matching.

The effectiveness of cord blood stem cell therapy depends on many factors, with one of the most important being stem cell matching. Doctors determine stem cell matching based on human leukocyte antigen (HLA) markers. Passed down from parents to their children, these markers act like cell fingerprints, letting the immune system know which cells belong in the body and which cells are foreign to it. If a patient’s HLA markers exactly match those of the new stem cells being introduced, the patient’s body will readily accept the cells. If the HLA match is close but not perfect, chances are still favorable that the patient’s body will accept the cells. By storing cord blood from each child, parents can increase the chance of finding the best source for a match.¹⁶

With newborn stem cells, youth has its advantages.

Beyond the matching benefits of family cord blood banking, cord blood stem cells have a special characteristic that makes them more effective than other types of stem cells. Simply put, they’re young and inexperienced — and that's a good thing. Cord blood stems cells are immunologically naïve, which means they are less developed and more flexible than other adult stem cells such as bone marrow. When used in treatment, cord blood stem cells are less likely to "cause trouble" and therefore can more easily integrate themselves into a patient’s body.